Motor vehicle with tubular underframe



March 5, 1929. 0"; wlNDBERGER Y 1,704,451 s MOTOR VEHICLE WITH TUBLAR UNDEFRAME Filed Dec. 29, 1927 Patented Mar. 5, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

OTHMAR WINDBERGER, 0F WIENEBfNEUSTADT, AUSTRIA.

MOTOR VEHICLE WITH TUBULAR UNDERRAME. L

Application led December 29, 1927, Serial No. 243,410, and in lAustria. May 29, 1928.

The invention relates to a motor vehicle with a tubular su porting member in place of the usual under rame. The invention consists in the frame-tube extending beyond the wheel axle, that is to say, the frame-tube being lengthened-beyond the wheel-axle.

The invention further, consists in the part of the tube protruding beyond the wheel-axle being formed as a bearer for the fuel-tank, for the fitting of luggage-carriers or sparewheelsupports or other equipments of the car. v

Such a frame in the form. of a continuous tube extending from end to end oers great advantages. It can be easily' be placed in such a way, that its 'axis is lying lower down than the centres of the wheels. This renders possible to locate the car-body lower down than hitherto possible-and that without the frame-tube projecting into the interior of the car-body.

When employing swing-axles the frame in the form of a tube extending beyond the wheel-axle has the advantage that the halves of the axles can be supported directly upon the tube and that in such a manner that the swing-axis coincides with the axis of the tube.

For driven axles such a continuous tubular frame enables a drive in the usual manner even then when its axis is placed lower down than the centres of the wheels and that simply by placing the driving-shaft on a level with the wheel-axles, thus eccentrically in relation to the axis of the tube.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section of a motor vehicle illustrating the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of a modification of the invention.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of a further modification.

Referring to the drawing in detail the single twist-resisting straight tubular supporting member l located at the axis of the motor vehicle and being of substantially uni form diameter throughout its length is extended beyond the rear axle to provide a support for the gas tank 2 or any other part of the equipment of a motor vehicle which it is desired to support thereon.

According to the arrangement illustratedl in Fig. 2 the two halves of the rear axle 4 are mounted for swinging movement directly on the tubular member 1 and receive the usual rear axles 0. The drive shaft extending reari wardly from the vehicle motor is connected with theaxles 0 by a preferred type of gearing.

According to the modification illustrated in Fig. 3 the tubular member 1 is so disposed that its axis lies below the axis of the drive shaft 3, but in other respects the arrangement is substantially the same as that descrlbed in connection with Fig. 2. l

What I claim is :l

1. Motor vehicle chassis characterized in that it y consists of a single twist-resisting straight tubular supporting member extending in the medial plane of the vehicle and of uniform size be ond the vehicle Wheel axle.

2. Motor vehicle chassis as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the part of the tubular frame protruding beyond thel wheel axle is constructed as a support for the equipments of the car. i

3. Motor vehicle chassis as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the axis of the tubular frame is-located lower down than the centres of the wheels.

4. Motor vehicle chassis as claimed in claim 1 with swing axles, characterized in that the axis of oscillation of the swing axles coincides with the axis of the frame tube.

5. Motor vehicle chassis as claimed in claim 1 with swin axles, characterized in that the axis of the rame-tube is located lower down than the centres of the wheels and the swing axis coincides with the tube axis.

6. Motor vehicle chassis as claimed in claim 1 with drivenaxles, characterized in'that the tube-axis is placed lower down than the centres of the wheels and the driving shaft is supported in the tube eccentrically in relatioln to the tube axis at a level with the wheel ax es.

A 7 Motor vehicle chassis as claimed in claim ing shaft and the wheel axles are connected by means of a transmission gear permitting an oscillatory movement of the Wheel axles.

8. Motor vehicle chassis as claimed in claim y 1' with the frame tube being placed lower down than the wheel axles, characterizedin that the driving shaft is eccentrically supported in the frame tube in such a way thatflnotwithstanding the low supporting of the car body on the chassis-a normal driving taining the 'driving mechanism is secured to can be employed. the frame-tube by means which, at the same 10 9. Motor vehicle chassis as claimed in claim time, secure the bracket for the axle springs 1 characterized in that the driving mechanism to said tube.

5 is arranged in a casing which is mounted like In witnesswhereof I have hereunto signed a saddle above a slot in the frame tube. my name.

v10. Motor vehicle chassis as claimed in I 'claim 1 characterized'in that the casing con- OTHMAR WINDBERGER. 

